There has been used a recording medium, such as a DVD, capable of readily recording content data, such as video images and audio, and other various data. Moreover, in order to record the content data and the other various data with a larger data amount into one recording medium, there has been developed a dual-layer type recording medium on which two recording layers are laminated, which is already commercialized in some field.
In order to preferably record the content data and the other various data with a larger data amount into such a recording medium, it is necessary to calibrate the power of laser light, which is irradiated to record the data. The power calibration is performed by recording an OPC pattern into a PCA (Power Calibration Area), an IDTA (Inner Disc Testing Area), an ODTA (Outer Disc Testing Area), or the like. The process related to the power calibration is generally referred to as OPC (Optimum Power Control).
On the other hand, in the dual-layer type recording medium, a middle area for preventing the runaway of an optical pickup which irradiates the laser light is generated immediately before the ODTA located on the outer circumferential side, at the time of finalize process.